 |
| Aerial view of Tastee Diner; the tall building next to it reflecting the neon light is the Blackwell Building; to the diner's right is the Woodmont Grill |
Reportedly, Marriott's current offer to the owners of Tastee Diner is $5 million. Of course, they would need to also buy up one of the most popular restaurants in Bethesda to connect to the Tastee Diner property, Woodmont Grill. There is also the Blackwell Building at the corner of Wisconsin and Norfolk Avenues.
The Marriott project is about 5 years off from completion, and the Connor Building was just recently demolished.
Marriot better not propose building low income housing on that site. If they do the Westbard crew will suddenly become proponents of historic diner preservation.
ReplyDeleteMore affordable housing is needed at Westbard and in downtown Bethesda. That said, the Westbard project is too big for that neighborhood.
DeleteIf Marriott wants it bad enough, they have the money obviously to put together an offer that they can't refuse. It wouldn't be unprecedented though for the diner to be moved. Question is, where? Changes are coming and I predict that this will happen one way or the other.
ReplyDeleteTastee Diner has already moved in its history (used to be at or near where the mattress store is now). Maybe they could move it to where Robin F*cker's office is now - that would be killing two birds with one stone.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the Blackwell Building, that was reported elsewhere several weeks ago.
The county could give up another parking lot for the relocation of tastee diner. Just put it on the tab.
ReplyDeleteThe Marriott website announcing this project already shows the office building extending all the way to the corner, so they likely already have a deal with the owner of the Blackwell building. They still show Tastee and the Woodmont as excluded, but I suspect it is only a matter of time before they assemble the entire frontage on Norfolk. It would then have a better, full street view of the proposed expanded Vetrans Park from Woodmont to Wisconsin. I'm sure Marriott could include space for a newly built Woodmont Grill and even a Tastee Diner in their plans.
ReplyDeleteThese acquisitions would free up area for a more flexible office layout or enhanced plaza. It would seem odd that a project would not opt to square up this site if they can.
Tastee Diner is a Bethesda icon. If they decide to sell to Marriott, I hope that they will relocate in Bethesda and retain current signage and booths.
ReplyDeleteTo me, $5 million sounds very, very low as a purchase price considering intrinsic value of the business at that location, business interruption and relocation costs and the value of the land.
Wondering: could Marriott "go vertical' above Tastee and give Tastee a long-term lease at ground level?
That was my idea, just build around and above the diner but keep the diner at its location but have the owners of the diner pay Marriott rent.
DeleteMove the Tastee Diner to Westbard it will automatically be the #1 dining experience, Ledo's 2nd, and McDonalds taking 3rd...now that's really moving MOCO forward!
ReplyDelete6:48am Yirasai Sushi is well reviewed and located in "Westbard".
DeleteTry it sometime! Support local business.
Westbard is not "local".
Delete6:30 - You must be joking, Marriott assist the competition? That's what you're implying with them rebuilding two, two restaurants. I suggest you put down the med-mary.
ReplyDelete7:17 am - Marriott hasn't been in the restaurant business since they sold Roy Rogers to Hardee's in 1990.
ReplyDeleteThis makes sense to assemble the properties.
ReplyDeleteROALD THANKS FOR THE UPDATE CAPTAIN OBVIOUS
DeleteEveryone has a Tastee Diner memory, right?
ReplyDeleteThe Blackwell building has already been acquired as part of the development site.
ReplyDeleteLocal restaurants can suck my D. I only eat food delivered by an App!
ReplyDelete8:53 - Yes, another site reported that several weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteI also figured Tastee was in danger. Development all around it..made no sense to remain.
ReplyDeleteTastee Diner was a vocal supporter of term limits that residents voted for in November.
What does support of issues have to do with anything?
DeleteAnd a vocal supporter of Trump, too.
ReplyDeleteSmart owner.
DeleteThe Blackwell building has already been acquired as part of the development site.
ReplyDeleteOptioned.
Biggest restaurant story of the year for longtime Bethesda residents.
ReplyDeleteSo...the question is whether Community or Silver can fill the void?
ReplyDeleteAll three are awful. I love Tastee but you know what? People really know good food and I fail to understand why Tastee at least hasn't stepped up their game. Their breakfast is pedestrian at best and they're coffee is god awful. Community is crap and Silver is a joke
DeleteI'll be so sad if Woodmont leaves, no better food in Bethesda. Look at the wait times, you'd be more likely to win the Powerball than find an empty table on a Saturday night
ReplyDeleteThey already left Rockville so Woodmont/Houston's has to stay local somehow
Right. But Houston's has gotten so expensive.
DeleteRip off.
DeleteExcellent article by Bill Turque:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/local/a-battlefield-of-memory-asphalt-where-a-black-cemetery-is-said-to-have-stood/2017/02/23/af01ba42-efa2-11e6-9973-c5efb7ccfb0d_story.html?hpid=hp_local-news_cemetery-1030am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.70313993c5c3
The article doesn't even mention Dyer once.
It also mentions what Dyer doesn't want you to know - that many of the remains there had been previously disinterred from cemeteries in the Tenleytown area.
Wrong place to post that. This is about Tastee.
Delete2:51: I'm well aware that some of the remains were moved from Tenleytown. What does it matter? It doesn't make the situation any less of a crime against humanity.
DeleteYou know Marriott isn't buying anything. They are leasing their headquarters and managing the new hotel. Blackwell deal is done. You need more than one source.
ReplyDeleteI once had a job interview for architectural design at the old headquarters in Bethesda. I was told summarily that Marriott has NO INTEREST in making good architecture. Rather, Marriott is interested in one thing ... and one thing only. Making money. Make what you will out of THAT.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was only optioned?
ReplyDeleteTastee Diner is run by a bunch of backwards Trump supporters. Knock it down and let Marriott take the space.
ReplyDelete6:58 just can't stand the fact that he's our president can you? That's a good idea. Don't patronize an establishment just because they supported a particular candidate. Dumb. For your info, there are photos of politicians of all stripes on their walls. Get over it.
DeleteDeplorable Diner. LOL
DeleteAnonymous 6:58 AM. YOU ARE WHATS WRONG WITH BETHESDA. IF YOU KNEW ANYTHING, AND WAS FROM BETHESDA ORIGINALLY, YOU WOULD GET THE LOVE FOR TASTEE.
Delete6:20: Looks like you were #scooped again by Robert Dyer.
ReplyDelete6:26: Surprised to hear that. The Pooks Hill and Twin Bridges Marriotts are two of the nicest looking hotel buildings in the area, in my opinion. Modern but timeless design.
6:26: I meant to say Key Bridge, not Twin Bridges.
ReplyDelete8:07AM Robert Dyer
ReplyDeleteWho do you think wrote the comment at 6:20AM?
I think an apology is in order.
The 6:20 comment appeared to be questioning my story, saying I needed more than one source. Can you explain why it wasn't that? Why is an apology in order? I was attacked, not you.
ReplyDeleteQuestioning of your story isn't allowed?
ReplyDeleteIn the 6:20 comment no one insulted you, no one attacked you.
I think you owe 6:20 an apology for being wrong about who they were and treating them like they were someone else.
9:36: 6:20 was you, but to play along, please enlighten us how your, er, his comment wasn't an attack, and if so, what the hell did it mean?
DeleteMarriott does not own the property they are moving to so they are not the group trying to buy Tastee Diner. Woodmont Grill owns their building but not the parking lot.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't matter who owns what. If Marriott wants Houston's, their lot and Tastee, they'll get them. This is a once ever deal. If they need that space for their HQ that they'll occupy for a long time, they have one shot to do it. If the group isn't supporting Marriott deal in trying to get these properties, what are they doing it for then?
Delete3:18: #scooped
ReplyDeleteI notice that Bethesda Magazine did not plagiarize this fake news.
ReplyDelete10:34: It's not fake news. Real news. But you can certainly count on BM for fake news. #scooped
ReplyDeleteRobert Dyer @ 10:30.
ReplyDeleteI am 9:36 and I never said I was 6:20. You have made that assumption. I'm not 6:20. I made the optioned comment @10:36. I thought 6:20's comment might have been to me, suggesting I needed another source. Here's their comment in it's entirety:
"You know Marriott isn't buying anything. They are leasing their headquarters and managing the new hotel. Blackwell deal is done. You need more than one source."
To me, it sounds like someone using conversational speech, and I can't find an attack in there. So, yes, I think you over-reacted and 6:20 deserves and apology.
Consider yourself "enlightened."
Love and bacon, 9:36
You also owe 3:18 and apology. That was just a comment about who owns what.
ReplyDeleteWhat does your #scooped have to to with that?
Dyer, when you've lost Love&Bacon guy, it's time to hang it up.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete8:39: My article is factual, and includes the dollar amount of the offer. Do you think Marriott, their proxies, or Tastee Diner would actually publicly discuss the details of a pending offer? Hint: No.
DeleteSo when you don't have the sources, as in the case of your favorite small and slightly failing magazine, you print a totally speculative article, and the denials of public spokespersons.
What Bethesda Magazine also failed at, was Journalism 101. Their entire piece was based on my scoop last week. I should have been cited as the first to report an offer had been mad, with the name of my website, in the article. Not just as "a published report," which would be fit more for an extraneous detail, rather than in this case, where their entire piece was premised upon my reporting a week ago.
I know they are miffed they got scooped, as are you. But that doesn't entitle either of you to lie or engage in illegal or unethical activity.
5 days later....
ReplyDeleteAnd right outside their offices. That's embarrassing.
News4 just reported on this. No mention of Dyer. LOL
ReplyDelete3:36: Haven't seen their report, but if it's about an offer on Tastee Diner and doesn't cite me as the source, that would be plagiarism, my friend.
Delete